Upholstering chair arms



June 11, 1929. w. J. KELLY UPHOLSTERING CHAIR KRIS Filed April 6, 1927 Patented June 11, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J. KELLY, OF CLINTON, IOWA, ASSIGNOR TO KELLY MANUFACTURING (30., OF CLINTON, IOWA, A CORPORATION OF IOWA.

UPI-IOLSTERING CHAIR ARMS.

Application filed April 6.

This invention relates to improvements in upholstering chair arms, and more particularly to reinforcing means for tho upholstering of chair arms of davenports and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive form for use in constructing arms of overstuffed furniture, such as chairs or davenports.

A further object of the invention is to provide an article of the character just referred to which is capable of having one or both of its ends contracted prior to the upholstering of the article of furniture to which it is applied in order to produce an arm which is r narrower at one or both ends than between its ends.

Other objects will appear as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate embodiments of the invention Figure 1 is a perspective view of a chair embodying the invention and having an end of one arm broken away to illustrate the method of reinforcing and upholstering the same;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a form for a chair arm embodying the invention and made of two parts;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a form for a chair arm embodying the invention and made of a single part;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my preferred form for a chair arm;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 1; and

Figure 6 is a detail view showing a portion of a three-ply form which may be used for a chair arm where it is desired to support extra heavy strain.

. Like characters of reference are used throughout the following specification and the accompanying drawings to designate corresponding parts. I

The chair comprises a base 1, seat 2, back 3, arms 4 and legs 5.

My invention deals wholly with the construction and reinforcing of the arms 4, which are so formed that the same will support any reasonable load placed upon them, without bulging or breaking down.

A frame strip 6 is secured to the base 1 adjacent its lower edge, and supports the outwardly and upwardly extending form 7, which may be of paper or cardboard and which conforms generally to the shape of the 1927. Serial No. 181,518.

arm. This form 7 has its upper end bent outwardly into substantially semicircular form, as clearly illustrated in the several figures. A supporting brace 8 extends longitudinally of the arm 4, from its front to back end, and is attached at its opposite edges to the form 7, thereby effectually reinforcing the semi-circular portion of the arm. Further reinforcing strips 9 and 10 may be secured to the brace 8 above and below the brace 8, the upper strip 9 contacting with the un der surface of the form 7. The padding 11 is applied over the form 7, and the outer covering 12 is secured in place over the padding 11 and over the outside surface of the arm. A cross section taken through the reinforcing strips 9 and 10 and the brace 8 would show a cruciform member, thus providing a reinforcing bracing member of great strength and also with sufficient surfaces for the proper tacking or attaching of the form strip thereto, such strip, as shown, being composed of a number of sheets or a single sheet of a relatively stifi' flexible material, so that the same may be readily bent around and attached to this cruciform member. Thus it will be seen that the arm will be reinforced laterally as well as vertically, and will be capable of standing heavy loads without breaking down.

Further provision is made for narrowing the upper portion of the arm, if desired, toward its front and rear ends by providing longitudinally extending inwardly tapering slits at one or both ends of the curved portion of the form 7. It will be seen that the adjacent edges or sides of the slits 15 may be drawn together and suitably fastened, thereby effecting the desired narrowing of the chair arm at its front and rear ends.

A slight modification of the form 7 is illus- 9 trated in Figure 2 of the drawings where the curved upper portion of the form is formed separately from the body portion thereof and is secured to the upper edge of the body por tion with its inner edge underlying the latter.

It will be observed from Figure 6, that the form 7 can also be made of laminated strips, which construction will materially add to the strength and rigidity of the same.

Many minor changes in detail of constructi on may be restored to without departure from the spirit of the invention.

I claim 1. An arm for da-venports and the like comprising a form made from a sheet of rela- 7 cover for said padding.

2. An arm for davenports and the like comprising a form made from a sheet of relatively stiff flexible material and substantially semi-circular in cross-section at its upper end, a brace extending substantially in a horizontal plane longitudinally of said curved portion of said form and attached at its opposite sides thereto, a longitudinally disposed reinforcing strip interposed between said brace andsaid semi-circular portion of said form and attached to said brace and form, a padding superimposed on said form, and a covering for said padding.

8. An arm for davenports and the like comprising a form made from a sheet of relativelv stiff flexible material and curved outwardly and downwardly at its upper .end and provided with longitudinally disposed slits in its end edges whereby the same may assume a contracted curvature, a brace extending longitudinally of said curved portion of said form and attachedat its opposite sides thereto, a padding superimposed on said form, and a cover for said paddin 4; A form for overstuffed furniture arms, including a sheet of relatively stiff flexible material, the upper end of which is curvedv outwardly, and. a reinforcement for said curved end consisting of a longitudinal strip attached at one edge to the body of the sheet and at the opposite edge to the extreme curved end of the sheet.

5. A form for overstuffed furniture arms, including a sheet of relatively stiff flexible material, the upper end ofwhich is curved outwardly, a reinforcement for said curved end consisting of a longitudinal strip attached at one edge to the body of the sheet and at the opposite edge to the extreme curved end of the sheet, and two strips extending longitudinally of the last strip, one above aid strip and having its edge attached to the inner curved face of the sheet and the other projecting below said strip to form a brace and tacking member for the covering of the arm.

6. A form for the arms of overstuffed furniture, comprising a sheet of stiff material having its upper edge bent outwardly into substantially semi-cylindrical form and having one end of said substantially semi-cylindrical portion longitudinally slitted whereby the diameter of said slitted part may be reduced toward said end, and a strip extending longitudinally of said substantially semicylindrical portion approximately diametrically thereof and having its opposite edges secured to said portion.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM J. KELLY. 

